What to Consider when Choosing a Dock Plate

There are a variety of tools at workplaces that go unrecognized regarding how much they provide toward running smoothly. Dock plates tend to fall into this category. Dock plates are what connect a shipping area to the delivery truck so that inventory can be properly brought into an operation. They are relied on for daily operation, which makes them an item that you should ask: are you using the right kind for your business?

Consider the following when choosing a dock plate to meet your business needs:

What Kind of Leveler

The levelers of a dock are designed to provide efficiency in a variety of ways depending on the kind of dock they are operating from, the kinds of levelers are:

Mechanical These levelers don’t cause any energy costs and are both easy to operate and very reliable.

Hydraulic This leveler is designed to operate for a higher capacity and offer an easier process then a mechanical option would.

Air Levelers These operate off of an air-powered system. The hydraulic system is encouraged over this one on account of it being a more cost-effective choice from most angles.

Vertical Dock These are designed for environments that are temperature controlled for maximum cleanliness. They are activated hydraulically.

Roll Off Stop Lip These levelers are used at the back of trucks as a means to prevent forklifts from getting too close and falling off the leveler.

Edge of Dock This leveler is used as an option when no others can offer proper performance. It’s used in low frequency and low capacity.

The kind of leveler that is used in an operation depends on a number of different factors. With these factors applied there can be a coordinated effort toward what choice will work most efficiently. The areas of consideration involved when choosing a leveler involve:

Specific Needs and Safety

These two factors should always overlap. Each business is going to have specific needs that will make one leveler superior to another. A step beyond that, however, is the safety factor. Make sure that the leveler you are choosing for your operation is one that makes sense and can be operated without the concern of injury or other problematic events. Use only levelers from reputable companies like Dock Plates.

In addition to personal injury there is the fact that expensive machinery can be damaged and compromised if it’s applied to a leveler that is incompatible in one way or another.

Maintenance and Support

Think about the maintenance steps required for leveler choices and whether it’s something that you are going to be able to commit to. Insuring that steps are taken to maximize the life of a leveler if vital both to it functioning properly, as well as getting the most of our your investment.

In regard to support, make sure that the customer service associated with the product is prompt and professional. Make sure that the terms are clear in regard to a leveler’s warranty and events that would require repair and the party responsible for the expense. Take the time to properly evaluable all of the above and make sure that the choices line up with the needs of your business.